Our ‘Profile: A Day in the Life of’ feature takes a look at some of the global professionals working across performance marketing. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the flourishing industry.
In this edition we head to Connecticut, to speak with the CEO of MediaCrossing.
Name:
William A. (“Bill”) Lederer
Job title and company:
Founder, chairman and CEO of MediaCrossing.
In one sentence, how would you describe what the company does?
MediaCrossing is a better way to buy and sell digital media.
What are the company’s unique selling points?
MediaCrossing is an independent digital media trading company that operates a managed service platform. Unlike other marketplace players, MediaCrossing buys ad inventory on behalf of publishers, marketers and agencies, assuming the risk of unsold inventory for our partners, an approach more typical of a Wall Street trading desk than a traditional ad agency trading desk. If our clients lose money, we lose money, so we have a strong incentive to make smart trades on behalf of our clients.
Within the last six months/year, what stands out as the company’s major milestones?
MediaCrossing closed $6 million in series A funding in October 2013. Additionally, the company has grown to a total of 25 employees. We ended 2013 with 30 clients and now have another 30 on board or in process. MediaCrossing was also recently named ‘Tech Company to Watch’ by Connecticut Innovation Summit.
Duration in current role:
Two years.
Where are you based?
Stamford, Connecticut with a team in Boston, Massachusetts.
Previous performance marketing-related companies you have worked at:
Prior to working at MediaCrossing, I was a divisional CEO and C-level global digital media operating and strategy executive with Kantar, WPP’s media, marketing and data services division. I have previously held board roles at WPP Digital and Kantar, Rewards Network, Getty Images, Art.com (founder), Minotaur (founder), and served as portfolio manager/analyst and VP- Research with two leading institutional investment firms.
What are your main job responsibilities?
My main responsibility is to set the vision for the company and to provide the resources needed to realize that vision. I work to predict and solve problems, recruit exceptional talent and build a productive, fun culture with the right values: teamwork, humility, transparency and providing value to our partners.
Take us through what you get up to on a typical working Monday:
I spend most Mondays in meetings. I respond to new challenges and opportunities, set priorities, make sure that I understand what the issues are that we’re dealing with to determine what help I can provide and what I should provide.
What top three websites can you be found browsing during your lunch hour?
I don’t spend much time on websites, instead I’m catching up on emails and digesting information, requests, challenges and opportunities. I get hundreds of emails a day; it’s like playing whack-a-mole. I spend my lunch hour responding to calls and these emails to keep communications under control.
What are your top three tips for someone looking to get their hands on a job like yours?
Get plenty of sleep. Hire great people. Pick the right problems to work on, so that your time is well spent and you are taking the business in the right direction. Also, surround yourself with a diversity of opinions, skills, interests, attitudes and backgrounds. A strong team with a diverse, varied background can add a range of insights to the company and add to your position in the marketplace.
Career-wise, where do you see yourself in three years’ time?
Three years from now, I’ll be in another region of the world seeking to replicate the success that MediaCrossing is accomplishing in North America.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I’m a lot faster on a tennis court than people realize.
